Daily Republican., 1887-09-16
A QUEER ENDING.

tain OF the window, but Alan Daore lay
back comfortably In the great chair
there, sleeping the sleep that had come
upon him In the midst OF waking dreams
- he watched the m oon rise.
His face WAS q strangely noble one,
although no sculptor would have taken
him for O model, and no artist would
ever sigh 70 paint him.
He was one OF . party Of @ dozen
young people who were visiting ct the
country house of Richard Dscre, his
unolei and among the guests was q fair,
young girl, whose blue eyes and golden
hair had cast . spell over him that
made the qniet of his uncle homo more
than tolerable
"Blus eyes with heaven In their
depths!' he had whispered, as sleep
stole over him--"blue eyes CT an angel
swestDest! How warm and true her
heart is! AndthAt is beauty which eur.
passes that OF face or form. In all ways
she seems nerfeot to me, my fair. faced
Coral Vintr
And IL was the voice Of Coral Vine
which walked him from his slumbers ct
last. speaking just outside ths window
"A voice like silver, which he leaned
forward the better 10 hear, beosuse 1t
was sarth's sweetest music TO him.
There is no possible doubt Of 1t.
Marie 10 very much In love with him,
and thinks nobody suspects. Yes, It
will be capital Joke; let MS carry 1t
shrough."
az, for one, will have nothing to do
with NJ said q clear. fresh voice,
which ne recognized rs his Cousin
Lsva's. "Msrie Dubois is q perfect
lady, and would sacriaoe my hand
before would 30 humiliase her,"
"she is so proud and stately, 1, will
10 her good TO take her down." came
'he sweet voice Of Coral. "You won't
betray us, Lava"
II am not tale bearer" was the
answer; "but tell ycu, girls, there
Is not one among us who 30 merits love
ss Marie Dubois; not one who 10 30
warm OF heart and pure Of soul. 1 wish
you would not play this most unlady.
like joke unon her."
Coral's lauRn scared out on the night.
~ wouldn't miss 1t for any thing"
ahs said; ito morrow is AL Fools
Day. We can manage 1t without
much trouble. and will write the love
"Purport!ng to come from Mr.. Alan
Dacre, and asking her to meet him at
nine In the evening ~ the lake?" a,ked
. gay voice. II know 1t will be lots of
|fun-watchiRg her steal out, and know.
ing that she will walt for Mr.. Dac,e in
ysin."
while he Is dancing with me, per
haps," SPOKE Coral evenly. Yes, 1t
will be capital; and she 80 haughty,
too."
Alan sprang from his chair, fully
awake at last, with q strange feeling
OF pain upon him, disappointment and
disgust. Would he ever find heaven
again In the blue eyes Of the girl who
could make sport Of another's unhappi.
mesa?
"she is very much in love with
him."
The words echoed In his heart, as he
passed through the library, and crossed
the hall to the parlors.
There she WAS, the gir, whom they
were planning to humiiiAte 80 on the
following night; a stately, dark.eyed
girl che was with calm, red lips, aud
sweet, low brow; girl whom he had
scarcely noticed, but whose beauty
struck him now, ss no stood watching
the red light play fi;fully on her dusky
nair and on her slender hands, wander
Ing idly Cver the strings Of tho guitar
she held.
Thea he advarood until he was at
her eide.
"Miss Dubois, will you sing for me?
MY head Is aching, aud your voice
will soothe the pain. Pray do no. re-
.usa."
She looked up at him transiently, o
warm color flushing her face, q smile 60
sweet ard gentle on her lips that bis
heart was thrilled by 1t.
~ will sing you an old ballad" she
said. toitly.
And he discovered that the voice
which could be 80 calm and proud at
times could be very soft and sweet as
well.
He watched her from under dropping
lids as she sang ballad after ballad, and
he marveled at the charm he found in
her face, the music that he caught then,
but never had discovered before, In her
cultured voice.
"a rars and lovely womau," he told
himself, when at last she laid the gut
tar on her knee. and a conversation fol-
lowed on her singiDg-'a rare and per.
feot woman; and II she cares for me, no
humiliation shall come upon her
through it,"
Then the other guests came In from
the veranda, and Coral Vines blue
eyes, filled though they were with
laughter, had lost the power to charm
Alan Dacfe. Like flower frost smit'
ten, the love that had grown in his
hear. for her bad fallen elisnted.
1t was the evening Of All Fools Day
|-she first OF April. In the pArlors OF
Richard Daore's home there were
music, light, laughter, and fair young
faces; but Ceral Vine was not dancing
with Alan, for Alan was not there.
At o'clock he had been beside her,
graver than usual, with q new earnest.
ness In his gray eyes; at 8 80 O'Clock he
was standing In the night air, waiting
for the girl who, II che loved him, was
to be sent to him there, where lilies
slept In the lakes calm bosom, and the
moon was miTrored ON the stiffness OF
the waters.
He WAS emberiug his past as he
stood there, thinking over the years
that had flown since first he had seen
she dark face Of Marie Dubeis, in his
own home, many miles away-was
thinking of the sweet face Of his dead
sister, who had been Marie's friend,
who had died three yeers before, with
her sunny head above Marie's heart.
Why had he passed that facs by